Playoff Preview: (2) Pistons v. (7) 76ers (First Round)

Playoff Preview: Pistons Roster

The Detroit Pistons firmly believed that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – leaving their well-balanced starting lineup from last year largely intact. The Detroit Pistons are tops in the league in defense and boast one of the best backcourts in the NBA. However, the Detroit Pistons hoped the likes of Rodney Stuckey, Arron Afflalo, Jarvis Hayes, Jason Maxiell, and Amir Johnson helped to shake up the mix and provide a different look off of the bench. Take a look at the Detroit Pistons depth chart:

• Point Guard: Chauncey Billups, Rodney Stuckey, Lindsey Hunter


• Shooting Guard: Richard Hamilton, Arron Afflalo, Juan Dixon


• Small Forward: Tayshaun Prince, Jarvis Hayes


• Power Forward: Rasheed Wallace, Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Walter Herrmann


• Center: Antonio McDyess, Theo Ratliff, Cheick Samb

Playoff Preview: Pistons Season

After getting ousted in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, it would seem that the Detroit Pistons would have a chip on their shoulders heading into the 2007-08 season. If that was the case, the Detroit Pistons surely didn’t show it, continuing to play the same style of basketball that has gotten them to the playoffs seven years in a row. In the beginning of the season, the Detroit Pistons jockeyed with the surging Boston Celtics for the best record in the East – a conference that was riddled with just a handful of elite teams and true NBA championship contenders.



This season, the Detroit Pistons – winners of 50-plus games – were one of the league’s top defensive juggernauts – in points allowed and opponent field goal percentage – once again. A notable difference from last season is that the Detroit Pistons have a far more explosive bench than in recent years. The Detroit Pistons coasted into the Eastern Conference playoffs this season as the second-seed in the East. The battle-tested Detroit Pistons will take on the No. 7-seed Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.

Playoff Preview: 76ers Roster

After the big Allen Iverson trade last season, the Philadelphia 76ers continued their rebuilding process around another cornerstone A.I. – Andre Iguodala, that is. With Kyle Korver jumping over to the West, the Philadelphia Sixers still have a formidable combination of perimeter players off the pine, including Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Rodney Carney. With Andre Miller running the point and Samuel Dalembert averaging a solid double-double, the Philadelphia 76ers seem to have the right pieces in place to be a very dangerous team in the playoffs. Take a look at the Philadelphia 76ers depth chart: 

• Point Guard: Andre Miller, Louis Williams, Kevin Ollie


• Shooting Guard: Willie Green


• Small Forward: Andre Iguodala, Rodney Carney


• Power Forward: Reggie Evans, Thaddeus Young, Jason Smith, Louis Amundson, Herbert Hill


• Center: Samuel Dalembert, Calvin Booth, Shavlik Randolph

Playoff Preview: 76ers Season

After trading away franchise player Allen Iverson, the Philadelphia 76ers rebuilt the team with a more balanced offense and a better defense to boot. Although the Philadelphia 76ers got off to a rocky start this season (sitting 11 games under 500 as of February 1, 2008), the Sixers’ season started to pick and turn around right around the NBA All-Star break. Now, the Philadelphia 76ers have a shot at evening up their season – or at least get awfully close to it – and they’ve done it with a young, hardworking, and extremely athletic cast of players and smart coach in Maurice Cheeks. While the Philadelphia 76ers were considered a lock for last-place in the Atlantic Division, the Sixers have streaked into the playoffs for the first time since the 2005 season. The No. 7-seed Philadelphia 76ers will face off against the No. 2 seed Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.

Playoff Preview: Head-to-Head



As much as no team in the East wanted the No. 7 seed, the Philadelphia 76ers (relatively inexperienced in the playoffs) must face the daunting task of facing playoff veteran Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Actually, the pairing may not be that bad for the Philadelphia 76ers who match up well with the Detroit Pistons, with both teams boasting stellar defense. The Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons have split the season series at two games apiece. With that in mind, the young, hungry Philadelphia 76ers can go into the first round of the playoffs with some confidence against a team that has reached the Eastern Conference Finals five years running.

Keep an eye on exciting match ups between slasher Andre Iguodala (averaging about 20 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5 assists, and upwards of 2 SPG) and stellar perimeter defender Tayshaun Prince, while center Samuel Dalembert is sure to continue his dominance in the paint against one of the best big men in the league, Rasheed Wallace. The battle at point guard – Andre Miller v. Chauncey Billups – will be one to watch as well. The Detroit Pistons should walk away from this first-round playoff series, but it won’t be a cakewalk against this year’s Cinderella team, the Philadelphia 76ers. With a chance to rest their starters, the Detroit Pistons should be healthy, rested, and ready with plenty of energy when they face the young legs on the Philadelphia 76ers.

Playoff Preview: Schedule

As the No. 2 seed, the Detroit Pistons have home-court advantage in Round 1 of the playoffs, opening up the series against the Philadelphia 76ers inside the Palace at Auburn Hills.